The Merchant Girl
by Ninazadzia
Summary: Haymitch/Maysilee. The woods were no place for a merchant girl. But it was the only place where the two of them could kiss and know that no one was watching. And when you're from the Seam, falling in love with a girl like Maysilee Donner would only lead to heartache.


**A/N: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WHEEE~**

This Friday marks my three-year anniversary on FF! So far my summer has been jam-packed, and even though I've been attached to my laptop, internet has been spotty. The end result of this (naturally) is a _load_ of fics that I've written but haven't posted.

**In honor of my third year on this site, I will be posting a new one-shot every day for the next week. That's six HG one-shots headed this way.**

. . . and there are indeed _seven _days in a week. The first six days I'll post HG one-shots, and on the last day I'll update my iCarly fic (_Reach For Something that's Already Gone)._

This is my gift to you, dear readers, for being with me on this journey for the last three years xx Thank you for all of the continued love and support, I've not only grown as a writer but also as a human being.

So, I present—one-shot numero uno!

_The Merchant Girl_

By WildPomegranate

Maysilee Donner was scared of the dark.

The Seam was pitch black at night, unlike the merchant stretch of District Twelve Maysilee called home. There, streetlamps light the corners, and it was enough for her to see at least more than ten yards in front of her. She brought a flashlight with her to the Seam, which her parents only used for power outages. It was her sister Mizar who gave it to her that first night, taking it out from under the floorboard.

"Only turn it on when you have to. It's operated by batteries, if it runs out then mom and dad will know you've been sneaking out the next time there's a power outage."

She thought of Mizar, and wondered how she was able to do it so easily. Though they were the same in age, Mizar had definitely lived more. She'd been sneaking out since she was twelve to see her friends at the Seam, and had many more boyfriends than Maysilee. So naturally, Maysilee knew that Mizar would be the perfect person to go to when she when wanted to sneak out.

But even then, she never told her twin sister about Haymitch.

He was waiting for her, just like he said he would be. She felt her pulse race as she walked towards the fence of District Twelve.

"I'll admit, I didn't think you would have the balls to show up."

He said it in a tone that makes her roll her eyes. "Shut up," she said. She gave him a punch on the shoulder, and he laughed, and they were both in high spirits as they snuck out of District Twelve for the first time together.

XXX

Haymitch Abernathy was no stranger to the woods.

Maysilee Donner was the first merchant girl he'd ever brought outside of District Twelve. He didn't teach her how to hunt or about the plants or trees, because he didn't know much more about the woods themselves than she did. Instead, he showed them to her. He showed her the well-beaten trails of teenagers like themselves, most of them worn down by the shoes of Seam children.

The woods were no place for a merchant girl. But it was the only place where the two of them could kiss and know that no one was watching.

XXX

"What's her name?"

A part of Haymitch was thoroughly unsurprised by this. Maysilee was looming over him, where he sat alone at lunch. She didn't pay any mind to the classmates that were eyeballing them, because for the ten years they'd been in school together no one had _ever _seen Maysilee Donner talk to Haymitch Abernathy.

The extent of their talking was outside of school, where he left her notes at the sweetshop or the two of them took to the woods for their midnight excursions. The unspoken rule between them was that in school, they remained strangers. Things were easier that way, because then there were less prying eyes and no chance for a scandal when things turned south, like they were about to right now.

"Grey Galloway," he said. He didn't drop his gaze from her sea-blue eyes.

"Grey Galloway," she repeated hollowly.

He sighed. He'd been meaning to tell her that night that he couldn't see her anymore, but it looked like the rumors he'd been planting were working too well, because she'd gotten wind of Grey Galloway a few hours too soon.

"Don't look so betrayed, sweetheart, a slice like you could pick up anyone." He bitterly added, "Besides, how would you like it if mommy and daddy Donner knew you were kissing a Seam boy?"

Her snow-white complexion turned red, and it didn't take another word out of Haymitch before Maysilee was on her heel and was walking over to her merchant friends.

_Grey Galloway. _He smirked. "If that doesn't keep her away, I don't know what will."

XXX

Grey Galloway was a Seam girl, like Haymitch. She could barely read and she was one of seven children. She tipped the scale at eighty pounds, and at fifteen years old it was obvious she was well on her way to the grave.

She was a year older than Haymitch Abernathy, and even when she died a month after the rumors began, she never knew his name.

XXX

Mizar screamed when she heard her sister's name called, and she held on to Maysilee like a lifeline until the peacekeepers took her away.

Maysilee leaned into Mizar. She kissed her cheek and said "I love you" as she was lead onto the stage for the nation to see.

Haymitch Abernathy was the next name called.

Maysilee hadn't spoken to the boy in three years. Her stomach dropped as we walked onto the stage. He was taller and filthier, but very much the same Haymitch. Those were his dark curls and his stone cold eyes, and as he mounted the stage she momentarily forgot about the Hunger Games.

She remembered the feeling of his lips on hers.

So they shook hands, and it didn't come as a surprise to her that he was able to keep a straight face as he looked her in the eyes.

XXX

In truth, Haymitch hadn't given Maysilee much thought over the years.

It was a schoolboy crush that lead him to her and a schoolboy crush was how it ended. They were fourteen years old—it seemed harmless until he realized that their nighttime excursions were becoming a habit, and that his hands didn't want to stay put. He knew the Donners wouldn't have it. Their sweet, innocent Maysilee could under no circumstances fall in love with a Seam boy.

Thankfully, he ended it before she could fall in love with him. If he hadn't, then he would've held her back from being everything she would ever want to be.

Not that it mattered anymore, though.

XXX

"What's her name?"

He turned and was thoroughly shocked to hear Maysilee's voice to his left. Of the four of them from Twelve, they kept to themselves for the most part. Tule and Maysilee seemed to know each other, so if she was ever in need for small talk then District Twelve's other female tribute was usually more than enough.

But tonight she was talking to Haymitch.

He didn't have to ask what she meant, because the question had the same meaning as it did three years ago. "Wren Fairbain," he answered.

She smiled. "Not Grey Galloway?"

His resolve was undisturbed, but he couldn't help the shock as it went through him. "You knew, didn't you. You knew that was a lie."

She shrugged. "Not at first. But I figured it out soon enough."

Silence hung in the air, and Haymitch Abernathy was never at a loss for words.

Maysilee broke the quietness. "I don't understand why you broke it off like that. If you weren't into it, you could've just said so."

He laughed darkly. "We're not having this conversation. Not at the eleventh hour."

"Might as well."

He groaned, but looked in her eyes and knew she deserved an answer. Her eyes were the color of the ocean—merchant girl eyes. Eyes like that never lie.

"Alright, fine. It's not that I wasn't into it, I just needed to get you away from me. The only way I could do that was if I broke your heart."

"But why?"

He laughed. "Because I'm filth. Because you're innocent and fragile and I come from the lowest part of District Twelve. Let's be honest, I wasn't doing you any good. You were lying to everyone by sneaking out, all I would've done was ruin you."

Her skin was the same shade of white as the marble she was leaning against—merchant girl skin. "Innocent, maybe," she said as she stood up. She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. "But fragile? You'll find out just how wrong you are tomorrow, Abernathy."

He watched as she started to walk away, and he knew that the two of them wouldn't have anymore conversations like these. This would be their last.

But she turned around at the last second and said. "Oh, and by the way, I didn't mind lying for you. In fact," she added thoughtfully, "you're the only person I'd ever lie for."

He smirked. "A Seam boy?"

Those blue eyes stared back at him. "Maybe I'm a merchant, but we're both from District Twelve. That's what matters here."

He nodded his tan, brown-haired head. He couldn't argue with that.

XXX

A/N: I've been meaning to write Haymitch/Maysilee since I joined the HG fandom, so I can't begin to express how glad I am to finally have something written down for these two :D They're most definitely an OTP of mine so you guys can expect plenty of other one-shots like these in the future, because I'm not finished in this department by any means.

Check back tomorrow for a new one-shot! Here are the titles and pairings of the six I've written—

_No Space Among the Clouds_ (Marvel/Glimmer)

_When the Skies get Rough_ (Peeta/Katniss)

_The Merchant Girl_ (Haymitch/Maysilee)

_Help, I'm Alive_ (Johanna)

_A Kiss with a Fist is Better than None_ (Cato/Clove)

_Lights Will Guide you Home_ (Mr. and Mrs. Undersee)

These are listed in no particular order, posting will be random, for the most part.

Thanks for reading!

xx Vikki


End file.
